Study of the occurrence and multi-pathway health risk assessment of regulated and unregulated disinfection by-products in drinking and swimming pool waters of Mediterranean cities

Abstract The occurrence of a wide variety of regulated (four trihalomethanes (THM(4)), five haloacetic acids (HAA(5))) and unregulated (haloacetonitriles (HANs), halogenated ketones, chloropicrin, carbon tetrachloride, and other haloacetic acids) disinfection by-products (DBPs) was studied, in two hundred twenty-six finished drinking water samples collected in Barcelona (Spain, between 2008 and 2009), Athens (Greece, 2009–2010), Heraklion (Greece, 2009–2010), Nicosia (Cyprus, 2012–2013), and Limassol (Cyprus, 2011). The samples were analyzed by using liquid-liquid extraction, gas chromatography coupled with an electron capture detector or negative chemical ionization mass spectrometry. In addition, fourteen swimming pool water samples (from Heraklion and Athens) were also investigated regarding their DBPs content. The studied DBPs were determined concurrently with pH, total organic carbon (TOC), and bromide. Spearman's statistical analysis has shown statistically significant (p